Getting to Know ONO Poke

ONO Poke is located at 100 Western Battery Road and is a welcome addition to Toronto’s growing poke scene. As poke restaurants and menu items have filled the streets of the city over the past year, ONO Poke is the first to bring the flavour to Liberty Village. Already having garnered rave reviews on Yelp and social media, ONO Poke has grown its reputation of being able to provide tasty, healthy, and superbly presented poke for all to enjoy. If you are looking for poke in Liberty Village or in the nearby area, this is the best place to go.

photo courtesy of onopokebar.com

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Open 7 days a week 12 pm to 8 pm and offering delivery options, ONO Poke is a great place to bring the kids or if you’re looking for a casual environment to hang out with friends. Poke (pronounced po-keh) is traditionally made from a combination of raw fish, onions, sesame oil, and soy sauce over rice. ONO Poke takes things a few steps beyond the traditional recipe, adding in unique toppings and sauces made in-house. Choose from a base mix of spring, brown, or sushi rice. Then choose from ONO Poke’s selection of pre-determined combination poke bowls or make your own. Though it can get quite pricey, particularly if you are making your own customized poke bowl, it is comparable with other poke spaces in the city.

Having just opened this past April, 2017, there is still a lot to prove for ONO Poke if it’s going to hang around. The valuable Liberty Village restaurant scene has had many places come and go in the past decade. Hopefully ONO Poke shows that it has some lasting power.

photo courtesy of onopokebar.com

Its menu items are split evenly between poke bowls and sushi burritos, inspiring a fresh mix of people who have come in since its open. The sushi burritos include the ONO Torched Salmon, the Classic Salmon, the acclaimed Spicy Mango Salmon, the Ahi Honey Tuna, the Kabayaki Unagi, the Mac’ a What Burger, and the Truffle My Shroom. If you are coming for the poke, as the vast majority are, choose from the Ono Torched Salmon, the Classic Salmon, the Spicy Mango Salmon, the Ahi Honey Tuna, the Kabayaki Unagi Don, the Saikoro Steak, and the Avocado Tofu. It’s not uncommon to hear the compliment, “Best poke bowl I’ve ever had”, which alone should be enough to give the place a try. Many people working in Liberty Village have already made ONO Poke a regular lunch spot, which says something about the quality of the service and the strength of the menu items offered here.

The owners and customer service at ONO Poke has received much attention for their friendly, patient, and helpful assistance. That said, if you’ve never been, entering the restaurant can be a little off-putting as it is quite small. During busier hours, it can be quite difficult to get around without unintentionally bumping someone. Though the order space is quite tiny, the outside patio and dining area have more space thankfully and the décor of paintings, statues, and signage really build a unique dining experience.

The owners at ONO Poke have seemingly gone out of their way to make the place a real part of the community. If you’ve never had Polynesian food or poke, there’s nothing tastier than the menu here. Something that many customers have already commented on and that has drawn much return business as well is the restaurant’s loyalty program where you get your 5th poke bowl for 50 percent off and your 10th poke bowl for free.

Poke has been gaining traction in major cities across North America including New York and LA. Many food experts have pointed to poke as being the ‘next big food trend’. This specialty food is also among the trendiest food phenomenons in Toronto right now. If you live in Liberty Village, you don’t need to go far for poke. No matter if you’re picking up the phone to schedule a delivery or if you want to take the time to make a visit at 100 Western Battery Road, it’s worth it.